Zero-carbon housing development gets go ahead in England

clipped from www.energyefficiencynews.com Barratt Developments Plc and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), the UK’s national housing and regeneration agency, have been given the go ahead to build an ‘eco-village’ of 195 zero-carbon homes near Bristol in the South West. The Hanham Hall eco-village, which has been granted planning permission by South Gloucestershire Council, will be the first large-scale housing development in England to meets Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. The new homes will feature energy efficient and recycled materials, very high levels of insulation to conserve energy and water efficient technologies, which will help achieve a water usage target of 80 litres per day. The design by HTA architects will integrate the buildings into the landscape and harvest rainwater for use in gardens and allotments. Hanham Hall itself, a former hospital, will be refurbished as a community centre for the village with a crèche, café and base for a car club.